Michelin teams up for renewable isoprene production

ERJ staff report (TP)

Emeryville, California / Sao Paulo, Brazil / Clermont-Ferrand, France – Amyris, Braskem and Michelin announced that Braskem is joining a collaboration already launched in 2011 between Michelin and Amyris for renewable isoprene.

Michelin said this joint project will give it an additional sustainable sourcing channel for poly-isoprene for the production of tires.

Under the terms of the agreement, all companies will work together to develop a technology to utilise plant sugars, such as those found in Brazilian sugarcane or cellulosic feedstocks.

Braskem is the largest petrochemical company in the Americas and produces biopolymers – and Amyris and Michelin said this will help accelerate the industrialisation process.

Amyris will share its rights to commercialise the technology developed under this collaboration with Braskem. Michelin will maintain certain preferential, but not exclusive, access to this technology. The companies will not disclose details of the agreement, including the financial contributions of each party.

John Melo, president & CEO of Amyris, said: “Amyris has led the way in producing long-chain hydrocarbon molecules via fermentation, from anti-malarial drug precursors to long-chain hydrocarbon molecules used in cosmetic emollients and even fuels. Building on the success of this proven technology to produce tailored hydrocarbons, we are revolutionising the way products are made, one molecule at a time.”

Jean-Christophe Guerin, head of the materials division of Michelin, said: “Braskem’s chemical industry experience, coupled with Amyris’s biotechnology expertise, will support Michelin’s goal of addressing the long-term needs of the tire industry for sustainable sourcing with renewable chemicals.”